Jean maeie anatole geeaed-lescuyeb



(No Model.)

J. M. A. GERARD-LESGUYER. ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

Patented-Feb. 23, 1886.

WITNESSES I fINVENTOR I QMM' W M- 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GERARD-LESCUYER, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,635, dated February23, 1885.

Application filed October 24, 1883. Serial No. 109,901. (No model.)Patented in France June 12, 1882, X0. 149,517; in Belgium June 22, 1882,No. 58,268; in England June 23, 1882, No. 2,992,- in Italy August 28,1883, No. 15,803, and in AustiimHungary October 10,

1883, No.1,956 and No, 1,943.

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GEnAnn-LEscUYER, of Paris, in theRepublic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in electric-arc lamps basedon the socalled differential system, the improvements relating moreespecially to the construction of an effective brake for regulating themotion of the upper carbon; and the invention consists of one or morehollow differential solenoids, having movable soft-iron cores, whichlatter are connected by a horizontal plate. From this plate aresuspended by pivot-links two inclined brake-rods,which are provided withbeveled semicircular middle portions that extend around the upper carbonholder and clasp the same. The lower ends of the brake-rods are providedwith anti-friction rollers that form contact with a fixed stop-plate, soas to release the brake-rods.

The invention consists, further, of certain details ofconstruction,which will be fully described hereinafter, and finally bepointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation,partly in section, of my improved electric'arc lamp. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same, also partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionof the same on line 1 2, Fig. 1. Figs. at and 5 are modified forms of myimproved construction, and Fig. 6 is a diagram explaining the working ofmy improved brake construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, w represents a hollow cylinder, to which aresecured horizontal plates A B, that are connected by vertical rods (3and D. The lower ends of the rods C and D are rigidly connected by atransverse bar that supports the lower carbon holder. The upper end ofthe carbon-holder is guided in the hollow cylinderx by means of apiston. At the top of the cylinder 0: is arranged a screw, :10, whichserves to regulate an air valve or vent, by which the entrance ofatmospheric air into the cylinder a: is accelerated or retarded, and bythe partial vacuum above the piston the downward motion of thecarbon-holder retarded,and consequently sudden concussions of thecarbons obviated.

Between the horizontal plates A and B are supported two solenoids, F andG, which'are Wound with two wires of different sizes, the upper partsbeing wound with thick wire, while the lower parts, which are separatedfrom the upper parts by disks I, are wound with thin wire of highresistance. The upper coils of thick wire are placed in circuit with thelamp, while the coils of thin wire are connected to the binding-posts ofthe lamp, and are so wound that the current passing through the same isof opposite direction to the main current passing through the uppercoils of the solenoids. At the center of the solenoids F and G arearranged hollow sleeves, which are carefully centered and turned true,so that they offer but little friction to the verticallyreciprocatingsoft-iron cores L L, which are packed at their upper ends withcotton,leather, or suitable material, said packing forming a piston forthe cores, by which during the upward motion of the cores the air iscompressed in the space above the same, and rarefied during the loweringof the same, whereby the motions of the cores are made steadier and lessjerky.

The cores L L are connected at their lower ends by a horizontal plate,M, of iron or copper, to which are hung by pivotlinks O Odiagonally-inclined brakerods N N, that pass at diametrically oppositesides around the carbon-holder and rest by anti-friction rollers P P ona fixed horizontal stop-plate, R, that is rigidly supported bysuspension-rods R of the horizontal plate B. The metallic stopplate Rhas a threefold purpose: first, it forms a reflector by which the lightof the arc is thrown downward; secondly, it forms a guard to protect thebody of the lamp against the highly-heated upwardly-rising currents ofair, and, thirdly and mainly, it serves asa contact for the oscillatingbrake-rods N N. From the connecting-plate M extend in down warddirection a bundle of spring-wires, U, that surround the upper-carbonholder and serve to guide the same in its vertical motion,

while exerting a slight regulating-friction thereon. The lamp issuspended from a semicircular hook or eye at the upper end of thecylinder 00, whereby the upper-carbon holder assumes a verticalposition. The inclined brake-rods N N pass at opposite sides around theupper-carbon holder, and are provided at those points with semicircularjaws having beveled inner edges. The action of the brakerods is suchthat the greater the resistance to the same the more powerful will bethe grip exerted by theirjaws on the carbon holder.

The diagram, Fig. 6, serves to explain the action of the brake-rods,inwhich A and B represent two intercrossing brake-rods, each of which isprovided with two pins, a b and c d, which are engaged equidistantlyfrom the body P. If the rods A B are moved in upward direction, thepins 1) and d strike againstand grip the body P", owing to the gravityof the rods. From this moment the pins d and I) serve as the pivotsaround which the rods A B turn, which thenceforth move in arcs ofcircles, which are indicated by curved arrows in Fig. 6, until the upperpins, a and c, are brought in contact with the body P". As soon as thistakes place the turning movement of the brake-rods A and B ceases; butas their upward movement continues, the body P is lifted by the pins (4b c d. The greater the resistance to the action the stronger would bethe pressure on the pins, without permitting the sliding down of thebody of the object to R. If next a vertical pressure is exerted on theendsfg of the brake-rods, or if the brakerods are permitted to movedownward so that the endsf g abut against the fixed body, the pins of'the brake-rods release the body P, but in a reverse order, and permitthe body P to drop by its own gravity.

For the purpose of securing an effective and reliable working of thebrake, it is requisite that the brake-rods balance each other, wherebythe upper-carbon holder is always held centrally to the same; and,further, that the brake-rods are connected with the transverseconnecting-plates by means of the pivot'links, so that they can readilyassume any required position.

In Fig. 4 a modification is shown, in which for the two solenoids onesolenoid is substituted,through the center of which the uppercarbonholder is passed. In this case an armature, M, is arranged above thesolenoid and connected by rods to a second spring-actuated armaturebelow the same, to which latter the brake-rods are applied by theconnecting-links O O, as before. Vhen the lower armature is attracted,the upper carbon is lifted by the clamping-jaws of the brake-rods,while, when the upper armature is attracted, the rollers P are broughtinto contact with the plate R, the brake-rods caused to release theirgrip, and the carbon is permitted to descend,the springs servingtobalance the weight of the brake-rods.

In Fig. 5 the solenoid is formed througharmature is attracted,whereby'the brake is lowered and the upper-carbon holder permitted toslide down. As soon as the carbon points touch each other, the currentpasses through the carbons, since the wire in the solenoid, being fine,offers greater resistance, and the solenoid ceases to attract thearmature M, whereby the balancing-springs are enabledto lift the brake,so as to throw the same into action and lift the uppercarbon holder,whereby the arc is formed.

For the purpose of providing a reliable clamp for the upper and lowercarbons, which is connected with some diiiiculty, owing to the hightemperature to which the clamps are exposed, the following constructionis used: A split sleeve, n, is provided with parallel perforated cars itat both sides of the slit, 1

between which .is arranged a spring-tongue, q. The latter is pressed bymeans of a conically-tapering pin, m, that passes through the holes inthe earst' itightly against the carbon, so as to secure the same rigidlyin the sleeve-shaped holder.

The operationof the lamp is as follows: When the circuit is closed, andthe points of the carbon are in contact, the current passes through theholder with great intensity and draws the cores L L of the solenoidsquickly in an upward direction. The connecting-plate M is raised, and,by means of the connecting links 0 O, the brake rods N N are pressedagainst the upper carbon holder, which is thereby lifted so that thecarbon points are separated, and the voltaic arc is formed. As by theburning off of the carbons the size of the arc is increased, theresistance to the passage of the circuit is also increased, while theintensity of the cur,- rent is diminished. The action of the current onthe cores L L decreases,\vhile, 0n the other 'hand,the current thatpasses in opposite direction through the lower coils increases inintensity and depolarizes the cores,which, in connection with the weightof the parts of the brake, exert a downward tendency to the same.Theequilibrium is thereby interrupted and the brake-rods N N are moveddown and from contact with the stop-plate R, releasing thereby thecarbon-holder, so that the same slides downward until the solenoids areagain energized,as before, and lift again the cores L L, and thereby thecarbon-holder.

\Vhen the lamp is operating properly, the action of the brake is suchthat the brakerods touch the stop-plate It so slightly that they permitof a nearly continuous gliding of the upper-carbon holder, so as toimpart to the same a tendency to equalize the gradual wear of thecarbons by a series of infinitesimally small motions.

The brake is so sensitive that it will work properly and reliably,whatever he the speed of the generator or whether the same suppliescontinuous or alternating currents.

Any number of lamps may be thrown into circuitor cut out withoutrequiring any further regulating mechanism. The lamp can be thrown intooperation quickly and without any obstac1e,assumes directly its normalarc, and retains the same until the carbons are en tirely consumed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the upper-carbon holder, oneor more differential solenoids, and one or more vertically-movable coressliding in said solenoids, of a brake connected to the lower ends ofsaid cores, said brake being formed of inclined brake-rods havingbeveled middle portions or jaws encircling the uppercarbon holder, and afixed stop-disk below the brake-rods, by which the same are releasedfrom the carbon holder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the upper carbon holder, one or more differentialsolenoids, F G, vertically-movable interior cores, L L, transverseconnecting -plate M, pivot-links O O, inclined brake-rods N N, havingbeveled middle portions or jaws and anti-friction rollers P P at theirlower ends, and a fixed stopdisk R substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. The combination of the upper-carbon holder, differential solenoids Fand G, interior cores,L L, con'nectingplate M, havingdownwardly-extending spring-wires surrounding the carbon-holder,connecting pivot-links O J. 31A. GERARD-LESOUYER.

Witnesses:

F. A. ELSNER, G, MUssTRAUM.

